Voters went to the polls in France n Sunday to choose a parliament that will determine whether president François Hollande can push through his anti-austerity policies.

President Francois Hollande hopes parliamentary success will allow him to push through his reform plans (Picture: AP)

The first round of voting for the 577-seat National Assembly, followed by run-offs a week later, could give the socialist leader a clear mandate for a bold tax-the-rich agenda.The Senate is already under the control of the Socialists, so if President Hollande could also gain a majority in the lower house – currently controlled by the right-wing UMP party of former president Nicolas Sarkozy – Mr Hollande would have the green light for his reform programme.Having been elected to be Mr Sarkozy’s successor as president last month, earlier this week Mr Hollande called on the French electorate to give ‘a large majority, a solid and coherent one’.A failure by the left to win would result in ‘cohabitation’ between political rivals.Initial figures showed turnout was 21 per cent – slightly lower than the same time at the last parliamentary vote in 2007.The far-right National Front, which is now led by Marine Le Pen, daughter of its long-time leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, also hopes to improve a surprisingly strong performance in April’s presidential elections by gaining its first presence since the 1980s.Their greatest chances of success are in the south-east and north.